Happy Lawyer Happy Life

Clubmate Spotlight: Amy Honan

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Club Spotlight: Amy Honan

Connection, community & a full-circle moment

Our Clubmate Spotlight series shines a light on the people behind the practices in our Club community – their work, their approach, and the moments that have shaped how they practise law and build their businesses.

In this edition we’re featuring Amy Honan, a Brisbane-based family lawyer who runs Honan Family Law, a boutique practice supporting separating professionals, parents, and partners through some of life’s most emotionally complex transitions.

Amy’s work sits in that deeply human space where legal process meets personal change, and her approach is grounded in clarity, care, and a strong focus on resolution.

A family law practice grounded in resolution

Amy works with clients navigating separation and family change, and what stands out most in her approach is her emphasis on constructive outcomes.

Rather than defaulting to litigation, she is genuinely interested in finding ways to resolve matters outside of court wherever possible. She enjoys thinking creatively about solutions and helping parties move toward agreements that are practical, fair, and sustainable.

That mindset is particularly powerful in family law, where reducing conflict early can make a significant difference to emotional, financial, and long-term outcomes for everyone involved.

Her ideal clients are not defined by a single profile, but by a shared willingness to engage in practical, out-of-court resolution. Increasingly, she is also drawn to collaborative practice, which aligns closely with her broader approach to resolving disputes with less adversarial pressure.

A boutique practice with a human focus

Running a boutique practice allows Amy to work closely with clients during some of the most significant periods of change in their lives.

Her work often involves separating professionals, parents, and partners who are trying to navigate both emotional complexity and practical decision-making at the same time.

In that environment, her focus on clarity and calm becomes central – not just in legal advice, but in how she helps clients think through their options and move forward in a way that feels considered and workable.

Finding perspective and support inside The Club

Amy joined The Club in 2023 after attending a HLHL Masterclass, and quickly found value in being part of a broader community of small business owners facing similar challenges.

She describes The Club as something of a think tank – an environment where ideas, perspectives, and experiences are shared openly, often leading to meaningful shifts in how members approach their own practices.

What she values most, however, is the generosity of the community.

There is a consistent willingness among members to share knowledge, celebrate wins, and support each other through both the highs and lows of running a business. Even small moments of connection, like engaging with Friday Wins posts, create a sense of being seen and acknowledged, even among people who may not know each other personally.

That culture of encouragement and openness has been a defining part of her experience in the community.

A surprising full-circle moment

Outside of her day-to-day family law work, Amy occasionally works on step-parent adoption matters, an area of practice that holds personal significance for her.

Amy was adopted by her own stepfather, which gives this part of her work a deeply personal resonance. In a remarkable full-circle moment, the case manager from Adoption Services who had been involved in her own adoption years earlier later appeared in one of her first step-parent adoption matters as a lawyer. The recognition in that moment carried a quiet sense of meaning and confirmation about the path she was on.

As Amy reflects, experiences like this reinforce that family law is exactly where she is meant to be.

Life outside the law: creativity and events

After more than 20 years in the legal profession, Amy jokes that it is difficult to imagine doing anything else – but she does have a clear secondary passion: event planning.

It is a natural extension of her interest in people, detail, and bringing experiences together in a way that feels thoughtful and well-executed.

Looking ahead

For Amy, the highlight of being part of The Club this year is simple: continued connection.

That focus on connection runs consistently through both her professional and community life, whether it is supporting clients through separation, engaging with peers in The Club, or reflecting on the personal meaning behind her own journey in family law.

What we love most about Amy

Amy’s work is defined by care, clarity, and a strong commitment to resolution over conflict.

She brings a thoughtful, human-centred approach to family law, supporting clients through some of life’s most challenging transitions with steadiness and empathy.

Combined with a deep appreciation for community, connection, and the meaningful intersections between her personal and professional experiences, she represents a grounded and considered approach to practice.

It’s a blend of purpose, perspective, and resolution – and a valued part of The Club community.

You can connect with Amy HERE

The Next Story We Share Could Be Yours.

There is no single way to build a successful legal career.

The lawyers you’ve met here are proof of that.

Different firms. Different goals. Different versions of success.

What they share is a willingness to think differently and a community that supports them along the way.

If you’ve been reading these stories and thinking, “I want some of that too,” this is your invitation.

The Club is calling.

→ Join The Club

The Humans Say It Better Than We Do...

The In-Between Steps | Small Improvements in Business

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This is a birds eye view image of Clarissa and her daughter’s shoes.

The In-Between Steps

The In-Between Steps: Small improvements in business

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about tiny changes.

The sort of changes that barely feel worth mentioning when you make them. They’re certainly not the sort of thing you call a team meeting over and they’re definitely not the sort of thing that deserves a LinkedIn (humble) brag

And yet, the longer I’ve been in business, the more I think they’re the things that change everything.

These school holidays I’ve spent most of my time (and many late nights!) at dance competitions. Yep… full dance mum mode over here. And no, before anyone asks, it’s absolutely nothing like Dance Moms. It’s mostly theatre dressing rooms, hunting down decent coffee, navigating Dream Duffels the size of small cars and finding AB crystals stuck to your shoes for the next fortnight. #DanceMumLife

Anyway… dance and business. Stay with me because there is a connection. (Honestly, I didn’t think there was one either until I was driving home.)

My eldest daughter, London, is an incredible performer, but she’s certainly not on her own. The standard at her age is extraordinary. These kids can all do the tricks now. Five turns? No worries. Big leaps? Easy. Flexible enough to make my hamstrings hurt just watching them.

Somewhere over the weekend one of the judges made a comment that has been bouncing around in my head ever since.

She wasn’t talking about the tricks- at this level, she said, everyone can do the tricks. She was talking about the in-between steps. The moments where, to the audience, it almost looks like nothing is happening. Except that’s exactly where the routine is won. Not because of one spectacular leap, but because of everything that quietly connects one moment to the next.

As much as London probably doesn’t want to hear it… I think the judge is right. And I think business works exactly the same way.

It’s funny really because if you spend any time on LinkedIn (and yes… I appreciate the irony of writing this on LinkedIn) you’d think businesses are built on the tricks.

You know the sort of things I mean… the launch, the rebrand, the record revenue month, the shiny new office, the “We’ve finally cracked it!” moment.

They’re the sexy bits of business and don’t get me wrong… I love them too. I love dreaming up new ideas, new products and new events. If there’s a shiny idea floating around, there’s every chance I’ve already got a colour-coded notebook dedicated to it.

But I wonder if social media has accidentally convinced us that those are the things that build businesses simply because they’re the things worth photographing.

No one jumps onto LinkedIn to announce they’ve updated their new enquiry documents.

Can you imagine it?

"Big news everyone... we've completely rewritten our initial enquiry documents!"

Twenty-seven likes. Two sympathy comments. One person asking what font you used.

It’s probably not going viral. But maybe that’s because we’re all taking photos of the wrong things.

But those are the ‘in-between’ steps in business and much like those transitions in dance, they don’t look flashy at the time, but they are the actions that will win (or lose!) you in business. 

The longer I’ve been in business (18 years this year… which somehow feels both impossible and completely believable!) the more convinced I am that those tiny, boring, unglamorous decisions are where great businesses are built.

When I look back, I don’t see one giant leap. I see lots of little moments where I found myself thinking, “Hmm… that doesn’t feel right anymore.”  So we’d change it. We’d rewrite an email because it sounded too robotic. We’d rethink the way we answered the phone because I wanted people to feel calmer before they’d even walked through our door. I’d learn something new about neurodiversity and realise one question in our initial meeting needed to change. Tiny things, really. The sort of things you fix in between client meetings without giving them much thought. But enough of those tiny moments and, before you know it, you’ve built a business that feels completely different.

Years ago, my very clever friend Ben Deverson introduced me to the idea of improving by just 1%. I remember thinking at the time that one percent felt, well, almost pointless. Surely one percent can’t change anything? But that’s exactly the point. One percent today isn’t really about today. It’s about what happens when you keep finding another one percent tomorrow. One tiny improvement probably won’t change your business. Fifty of them absolutely will. Turns out Ben was onto something.

Looking back, I don’t actually think I’ve ever had one giant business breakthrough. I think I’ve just accidentally collected hundreds of tiny ones.

People often ask me how we moved away from timesheets and into fixed fees, as though there was one brave decision that changed everything.

There wasn’t. It was hundreds of tiny decisions- some worked and plenty didn’t but we’d try something, realise it wasn’t right and tweak it to try again.  And before we knew it we’d built something that looked completely different from where we’d started.  

The same thing is happening right now as we’ve been learning more about neurodiversity. A few years ago I would have spent a lot of time explaining our process and expecting clients to adapt to it.

Now we’re much more likely to begin with a different question.

"How would you like to work with us?"

It’s one sentence. One tiny change. But it completely changes the conversation because we’re no longer assuming we already know what someone needs.

In a world that’s racing towards AI and automation (and yes… before anyone asks… I absolutely love AI too!) I’m becoming more convinced that genuine human connection is only going to become more valuable. Maybe that’s another one percent improvement. Choosing connection over convenience whenever we can.

The same is true of leadership. I’ve never walked out of a team day thinking, “Well, culture’s sorted now. It doesn’t work like that.  Culture is built on the ordinary days.  It’s built on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon with a quiet thank you or noticing someone looks a bit flat and asking if they’re okay or finally having the conversation you’ve been putting off because everyone knows it needs to happen.

Those are the in-between steps too. Nobody claps for them. Nobody posts about them. But they’re often the very things that win… or lose… the performance.

So this week I’m not looking for the next giant leap. I’m looking for another one percent. Maybe that’s another email to improve, or a better question to ask a client. Maybe it’s finally simplifying that process everyone’s quietly working around. None of it is particularly glamorous.

And I think the dance judge was right. The audience remembers the spectacular leap but the dancer wins because of the in-between steps. But they’re often the very thing that wins… or loses… the routine.

And after eighteen years in business, I’m starting to think  we build great businesses exactly the same way.

So maybe this week don’t go looking for the spectacular leap and instead go looking for the in-between steps. I have a feeling that’s where the marks are.

So, could this be your next step?

We spend so much time looking for the breakthrough moment that we often overlook what really changes us.

The conversations.
The habits.
The tiny decisions we make again tomorrow.

That’s what The Reboot is all about. Not chasing the next shiny idea, but creating the space, support and accountability to keep taking the in-between steps that build a better business.

If this article felt a little like it was written for you, I’d love to keep the conversation going.

→ Express your interest in joining The Reboot.

About the Author

Clarissa Rayward is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and Director of Brisbane Family Law Centre. She is also the founder of Happy Lawyer Happy Life, where she works with lawyers across Australia to design practices that are sustainable, humane and commercially sound. Clarissa regularly presents on collaborative practice, lawyer wellbeing and innovative legal systems design.

Get in touch with Clarissa and her team here

Clubmate Spotlight: Kristen Porter

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Club Spotlight: Kristen Porter from corporate law to creative marketing

From corporate law to creative marketing-and building businesses that evolve with her

Welcome to our Clubmate Spotlight series, where we shine a light on the people behind the businesses in our Club community – what drives them, what they love, and what makes them, well… them.

In this edition, we’re featuring Kristen Porter, a founder who has built her career across two interconnected worlds: corporate law and creative marketing.

Kristen’s story is less about choosing a single path and more about evolving one – bringing different skills and interests forward at different stages of her career. Today, she leads Realgate Legal, her corporate law business, and Zenovate Marketing, her creative marketing business, combining strategy, expertise and creativity in everything she does.

Two businesses, one underlying thread

Kristen wears two professional hats, but both are anchored in the same core idea: helping professionals build stronger, more sustainable businesses.

Her first venture, O*NO Legal (now known as Realgate Legal),  is a corporate commercial law firm that works closely with real estate agency owners. The focus is practical and strategic-helping clients protect their assets, future-proof their relationships, scale their businesses, and plan for successful exits.

More recently, Kristen sold a 75% stake in the firm, creating space to expand into a second passion that had always been quietly present in the background: marketing.

That led to the launch of Zenovate Marketing, a business that draws on her original university studies and long-standing creative instincts. Through Zenovate, she now works with lawyers and law firm owners to help them refine their marketing, clarify their messaging, and grow their practices in a more intentional way.

Across both businesses, the thread is consistent: helping professionals move from where they are to where they want to be, with more clarity and confidence.

A career shaped by reinvention

Kristen’s path is a reminder that careers don’t always move in a straight line.

Rather than stepping away from law entirely, she has reshaped how she engages with it-pairing legal expertise with creative and strategic marketing work that sits alongside it.

That combination gives her a rare perspective: she understands not only the legal and commercial realities of professional services, but also how positioning, branding, and communication influence growth.

It’s this blend that makes her work across both Realgate Legal and Zenovate Marketing feel deeply interconnected rather than separate identities.

The value of connection inside The Club

Kristen has been part of The Club since April 2021, joining during the uncertainty of the COVID years.

For her, one of the most meaningful aspects of being involved has been the sense of connection it provides-being surrounded by other lawyers who are actively building, sharing ideas, and navigating similar challenges.

That community element has helped reduce the sense of isolation that can come with running and growing a practice. Instead, it creates a space where ideas are exchanged more freely, and where inspiration and support often come from unexpected places.

When reflecting on the impact of The Club, Kristen points to exactly that: the combination of ideas, learning, and opportunity that comes from being part of an engaged and forward-thinking group of peers.

A creative life beyond business

Outside of her professional work, Kristen’s creativity finds expression in a very different arena: fashion.

Each year, she leads a not-for-profit fashion show-training models, choreographing the event, and overseeing production. It’s a hands-on, highly creative project that brings together organisation, storytelling, performance, and visual design.

It’s also a long-standing passion project that keeps her connected to her creative roots-something that predates her legal career and continues to sit alongside it in a very tangible way.

If not law, then marketing

If Kristen hadn’t pursued law, she jokes that she’s now essentially doing what she always intended to do: marketing.

There’s a truth in that reflection. Her current work sits at the intersection of communication, strategy, and creativity-areas that have clearly been present throughout her career, even if they’ve taken different forms over time.

Looking ahead

This year, Kristen’s focus is on continuing to refine both of her businesses, deepening her skills, and strengthening her connections within The Club.

It’s a phase of consolidation and growth-building on what she’s created while continuing to evolve how she works across both law and marketing.

What we love most about Kristen

Kristen’s journey is a reminder that professional identity doesn’t have to be fixed.

She has built a career that moves between law and marketing, structure and creativity, advisory work and hands-on production-without losing coherence or purpose along the way.

At the centre of it all is a clear drive: to help professionals grow in ways that are more intentional, more strategic, and more aligned with who they are becoming.

And in doing so, she’s created a career that reflects not just what she does-but who she is.

You can connect with Kristen HERE

The Next Story We Share Could Be Yours.

There is no single way to build a successful legal career.

The lawyers you’ve met here are proof of that.

Different firms. Different goals. Different versions of success.

What they share is a willingness to think differently and a community that supports them along the way.

If you’ve been reading these stories and thinking, “I want some of that too,” this is your invitation.

The Club is calling.

→ Join The Club

The Humans Say It Better Than We Do...

Clubmate Spotlight: Kelly Stanford

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This is an image of lawyers Kelly Stanford and Clarissa Rayward

Club Spotlight: Kelly Stanford (aka Granny!)

Family lawyer, mediator, business owner, and believer in calm after the storm.

Welcome to our Clubmate Spotlight series, where we shine a light on the people behind the businesses in our Club community—what drives them, what they love, and what makes them, well… them.

Our inaugural feature is the wonderfully grounded and energetic Kelly Stanford, Principal and Director of The Separation Place in South West Sydney.

Kelly might be known professionally for her calm, steady presence in emotionally charged situations—but spend even a few minutes in conversation with her, and you quickly realise there’s far more to her story than legal expertise.

Helping people find clarity when life gets messy

At the heart of Kelly’s work is a simple but powerful focus: helping people navigate separation with clarity, dignity, and a sense of direction.

Her practice spans Family Law, Estate Planning, Mediation, and Care and Protection work. While those areas of law can often involve complexity and emotional weight, Kelly’s approach is grounded in practicality and compassion. She’s especially passionate about mediation—helping people move away from conflict and toward outcomes that allow them to rebuild.

Rather than positioning herself as someone who “wins” cases, Kelly’s focus is on helping clients step into what comes next.

The clients she connects with most

Ask Kelly who she works best with, and she’ll describe a very specific kind of person.

Often they’re in their mid-50s, recently separated, and facing a big transition in life. Their children are usually grown or nearly grown, and while the relationship has ended, what they’re really seeking isn’t conflict—it’s certainty.

They want clarity around finances. They want fairness. And above all, they want a pathway to a calmer, more stable future.

Kelly’s role in that moment is less about “taking sides” and more about guiding people through uncertainty with steady advice and grounded decision-making. It’s work that requires technical expertise, but just as importantly, emotional intelligence.

Growing alongside the Club

Kelly has been part of the Club since its very beginning, and her connection to it runs deeper than networking or professional development alone.

When asked what she values most, her answer is simple:

“The relationships with lovely people all over the country.”

That sense of connection, being part of a broader community of business owners— has been a meaningful part of her journey.

She also credits the Club’s coaching and Mastermind sessions with helping her grow not just as a lawyer, but as a business owner. Like many professionals who step into leadership roles, Kelly’s path hasn’t just been about refining legal expertise— it’s been about learning how to lead, build, and evolve a practice that reflects her values.

A life outside the law

If Kelly hadn’t become a lawyer, she suspects she might have ended up in a very different creative world.

Photography comes up first— especially wildlife, candid human moments, and storytelling through images. There’s also a version of her that once considered hairdressing, although a memorable (and apparently traumatic) shampooing experience during high school work experience quickly put that idea to rest.

More recently, she imagines a life that blends travel, photography, and blogging— capturing moments, telling stories, and exploring the world with curiosity.

It’s not hard to see the connection between that and what she already does: observing people, understanding their stories, and helping shape the next chapter.

What we love most about Kelly

What stands out most about Kelly isn’t just her professional capability, but the balance she brings to her work and life.

She operates in a space that can often be emotionally heavy, yet she maintains a sense of perspective, humour, and curiosity. Whether she’s guiding someone through separation or leaning into a sidecar at full speed, there’s a consistent thread: presence, courage, and a willingness to engage fully with whatever’s in front of her.

And perhaps that’s what makes her such a valued part of the Club community— not just what she does, but how she shows up while doing it.

You can connect with Kelly HERE

The Next Story We Share Could Be Yours.

There is no single way to build a successful legal career.

The lawyers you’ve met here are proof of that.

Different firms. Different goals. Different versions of success.

What they share is a willingness to think differently and a community that supports them along the way.

If you’ve been reading these stories and thinking, “I want some of that too,” this is your invitation.

The Club is calling.

→ Join The Club

The Humans Say It Better Than We Do...

The Retreat 2019 Dyan Burgess— Design thinking or MVP: Call it what you want – let’s get creative!

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Design Thinking or MVP: Call it what you want- let’s get creative!

Dyan Burgess

This is an image of Dyan Burgess

As you may already know Dyan is amazing at visual note taking so instead of a ‘written’ blog post here is a ‘visual’ blog post of the framework Dyan shared with us at the Retreat!!

Dyan's Magic Formula
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Dyan shared with us that every project she tackles, no matter big or small, Dyan takes the same approach each and every time. Dyan went on to explain to us that her magic formula follows six simple steps and assures us that it will be the fool proof answer to all our project planning and needs.

This is an image of Dyan Burgess Visual Notes

Step one: You’ve Got Your Idea

Dyan tells us that every idea that we may come across should be tested using her magic formula. At this step, you might have a wish list longer than your arm, but remember each and every idea deserves a shot. 

Step two: The Domino Test

 

This is an image of dominos

Dyan tells us to always start from the beginning. Dyan reminds us that just like dominos, an idea will trigger a series of other ideas to fall in line just like a domino. However, Dyan warns, that you must start at the beginning and we never start our domino test half way along, this is to ensure we have maximum impact throughout our planning process. 

Step Three: The Before Action Review 

Dyan stresses careful planning, visualisation, and review before starting any project. Here, you get started on imagining all the different things you might face on your planning journey and really look at locking down what you hope your idea will look like. Dyan tells us that by visualising ahead of time what we might come across during our planning journey, we’re better suited to face anything that comes our way. 

Step Four: Project Outline 

Here is where we map out and then action our idea. Dyan uses the example of a flow chart to help us do so. 

Step Five: The After-Action Review 

Here it’s time for a debrief. Go over absolutely everything that you’ve faced on your project journey and talk, talk, talk about all you came across along the way. 

Step Six: Update Checklists

Here is where you make a contingency plan for next time, keep all of your notes about what was faced along the way and update any resources or precedents you might have to help you along the way next time you tackle this same feat. 

Get all of Dyan's amazing Club Retreat resources HERE

Thank you to our partners for helping us bring The Retreat 2019 (a law conference like no other!) to you!

PLATINUM PARTNER

This is an image of automio logo

Our platinum partner Automio are thrilled to a part of the Club Retreat 2019. If you have been wanting to find out more about Automio’s combination of legal automation software and world-class training to scale your law firm to 7 figures you can book in a demo session with Business Development Manager, Mike Mullins here.

Automio love working with entrepreneurial lawyers just like you to help you scale up your law firm. And the final ‘Automio bedazzle’ we have for you is a special offer for you on Automio’s ‘Scale Up Springboard Training Program.’ 

If you enrol in Scale Up by 5pm AEDT 12 November you will get these fabulous free bonuses:

– A new, high-converting law firm website OR have our fabulous copywriter write high-converting copy for your firm’s website. 

 – A bonus small group VIP Event with Claudia King in Sydney before the 2 day Intensive. 

 – Up to $500 off your travel to the Sydney Intensive paid for

You can learn more about this offer at the Automio booth!

The Retreat 2019 Jacob Aldridge – Everything I Learnt, I Learnt from Cinema: Lessons from the World’s Greatest Cinephile!

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Everything I Learnt, I Learnt from Cinema. Lessons from the World’s Greatest Cinephile.

Jacob Aldridge

Author Kiarah Grace Kelly

For the final session of the Retreat 2019 (can you BELIEVE we’re done for another year?), we were in the presence of greatness. Now- international business coach, new father, inspirational club faculty member or not, Jacob is a world record holder. Yes, in June 2003, Jacob was crowned the world record holder of the longest movie marathon ever. From Saturday to Tuesday, Jacob sat and he watched. It’s important to note, his movie marathon was more of a marathon than any athletic feat. What’s a few hours of running, anyway? Jacob’s task took days! Jacob remembered the moments in his life that matter- the birth of his daughter who was so very, very wanted, his wedding day and the memorable first kiss, and some moments of learning from his movie marathon too. Here’s what Jacob has to say, told through the movies- 

Harry Potter
  1. Harry teaches us to choose greatness, choose magnificence and to create your whole reality. 
  2. Harry Potter shows us like not many others could, that you can have life happen to you, or have life come through you. 
the Breakfast Club
  1. The Breakfast Club taught Mr Murray that we see people as we want to see people, no matter who they really are;
  2. You can be a Brain, an Athlete, a Basket Case, a Princess and a Criminal. Jacob reminded us that far too often we’re told we have to specialise, that we have to take away the parts of us that don’t fit into ‘the box’;
  3. You have permission to explore, to go where you might not usually. Chase your wildest dreams and ask all the questions. 
Star Wars: A New Hope
  1. Star Wars fans know it pays to be human, no matter what the gang come up against, humanness triumphs;
  2. If we follow the idea that we can get 80% of the outcome from 20% of the input, we can get 50% with just 1% input. In Star Wars land, we learn that it’s all about knowing your 1%, which part of the Death Star to strike;
  3. Go with the force. The Star Wars crew will always have their strategy, their goal. But, it is the force, the systems, that make it count. 
Glengarry Glen Ross
  1. Despite Alec’s greatness, this is a lesson on what not to do. Glengarry Glen Ross teaches us that the hard sales tactics still exist- 3rd prize is never ‘you’re fired’;
  2. Know your numbers, know them well. More importantly, it’s the conversation that flows after the numbers that counts. If a member of your team is underperforming, what do they need to improve?;
  3. If you ever do need to have that difficult ‘do better’ conversation, it’ll change you as a leader for the better, you’ll know what you need to do to never have to have that conversation again. 
Breakfast at Tiffany's
  1. Champagne before breakfast is a ‘sometimes’ activity;
  2. There’s not much to find at Tiffany’s for under $10;
  3. Spend your days doing things you’ve never done before- whether they take place on the streets of New York with a very handsome author as your date is another story.
the Lion King
  1. Never stand downwind of Pumba;
  2. You know this one: it’s a problem free philosophy, it means no worries for the rest of your days! No but really, Jacob reminded us that between action and reaction we always have choice, so choose not to worry.
It's a Wonderful Life

This one is up to you- you have choice. What makes a wonderful life? 

Over the course of the Retreat, we’ve had a lot of lessons, we’ve got new energy and there’s been so much excitement. Maybe we’re leaving a little fearful of the choices we have ahead. Jacob reminds us we do have the choice, if the wrong choice does arise, just like a movie, we can choose to pause, turn it off, and we won’t choose it again. 

I can’t help but to feel Jacob was the perfect choice to send us off and close out all our Retreat learnings for another year. With his usual wisdom and epic delivery, I just loved Jacob’s presentation today. 

Thank you to our partners for helping us bring The Retreat 2019 (a law conference like no other!) to you!

PLATINUM PARTNER

This is an image of automio logo

Our platinum partner Automio are thrilled to a part of the Club Retreat 2019. If you have been wanting to find out more about Automio’s combination of legal automation software and world-class training to scale your law firm to 7 figures you can book in a demo session with Business Development Manager, Mike Mullins here.

Automio love working with entrepreneurial lawyers just like you to help you scale up your law firm. And the final ‘Automio bedazzle’ we have for you is a special offer for you on Automio’s ‘Scale Up Springboard Training Program.’ 

If you enrol in Scale Up by 5pm AEDT 12 November you will get these fabulous free bonuses:

– A new, high-converting law firm website OR have our fabulous copywriter write high-converting copy for your firm’s website. 

 – A bonus small group VIP Event with Claudia King in Sydney before the 2 day Intensive. 

 – Up to $500 off your travel to the Sydney Intensive paid for

You can learn more about this offer at the Automio booth!

Kiarah Grace Kelly

Kiarah Grace Kelly

Blogger and Happy Lawyer

Linkedin Instagram

Hi! I am Kiarah Grace Kelly, I have just finished a dual Bachelors degree in Law and Government and International Relations at Griffith University on the Gold Coast. I tested my legal toes in the water at a boutique Gold Coast law firm before starting as a Law Graduate at Brisbane Family Law Centre in November 2018. I’ve just been admitted here in Queensland which makes me a Brand New Lawyer or #babylawyer as the BFLC gang likes to say. My sole practice area is Family Law.

I’m looking forward to writing about and sharing with you all that I can at this crazy-exciting but daunting stage of my career. I think there’s a need to talk about our experiences as early career lawyers so that we can all lean on each other as much as we can.

I would love to connect with you on Linkedin and Instagram!

The Retreat 2019 Katherine Maslen – Do It Now: You Have Everything Inside Of You To Make That Shift & Make It Now

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Do It Now! You Have Everything Inside of You to Make that Shift & Make It Now

Katherine Maslen

Author: Hannah Trotter

Our resident naturopath, author and natural health expert, Katherine Maslen, shares on health goals, why they are so hard to achieve, and how we can start reaching them.

What's Your View on Health?

Do you value it? Is it a chore? What does good health mean to you? 

Health impacts every area of our lives but it’s more than diets and exercise – it’s about being happy and content, knowing who you are, being comfortable with yourself, and being happy with where you are at. 

 

Why Are Health Goals So Hard to Achieve?

Making health goals are easy, the trouble comes with seeing them through. 

Why is it so hard?

So often, we make excuses when it comes to seeing our health goals through. 

The most common excuses:

  1. Time – “I’m too busy!”
  2. Money – “I can’t afford it!”
  3. Knowledge – “I don’t know how!”
These excuses so quickly become ‘I can’t!’ So let’s take a closer look at these excuses. 
  1. Time – Does the time not exist? Or do you value other things more?
  2. Money – Do you not value it enough to pay for it? 
  3. Knowledge – Do you know how to find out? 

The reality is, it’s not that we ‘”can’t” it’s that we “won’t”. 

Katherine says it’s okay not to want to – we just have to be conscious and aware if it’s not a priority. When health isn’t a priority, but we tell ourselves it is, that’s when we start to feel failures.

 

What Drives Us?

We are driven by 3 key factors: 

  1. Our Values – we are living our highest values right now. If we value health, we will be driven to achieve our health goals. On the other hand, if we don’t value health, our motivation to persist and commit to our goals waivers until we give up and say we can’t.
  2. Our Beliefs – Only 5% of what’s going on in our brains is conscious. This means, if it’s not something we subconsciously want, health will quickly move down the priority list. 
  3. Our Mindset – it’s easy to go over our negative thoughts and not nearly as easy to play out the positive. If we tell ourselves we can’t be healthy, that triggers an emotion, and goes on to trigger a behaviour. Chances are if you think you can’t achieve your health goal, you won’t try very hard to prove you can. 

How To Best Set Yourself Up To Achieve Your Health Goal

Katherine helpfully gave us 5 tips to setting ourselves up with the best chance of achieving our health goals. 

  1. Be Clear – Write it down, understand it, don’t complicate it!
  2. Be Real – Be honest with yourself. Life isn’t perfect and you don’t need to be – be aware of where you’re at and work from there. 
  3. Plan it – to succeed at anything, you need a plan. Not a plan for achieving it just this week, but what you need to put in place to achieve it in the long term.
  4. Visualise it! It’s not about visualising the end result, think of the journey and imagine yourself taking the steps to get there. 
  5. Support – don’t do it alone! If things get hard, have someone you can fall back on who will encourage you to continue and do the same for them. We thrive in community. 

The Take Home

The ultimate thing I took from Katherine today is that we do and prioritise the things we value. It’s so important to be self-aware to know whether you value the goals you set enough to achieve them. That way you can accurately understand why you’re not achieving those goals – it’s not because you can’t and it’s not because you’re a failure . 

Thank you to our partners for helping us bring The Retreat 2019 (a law conference like no other!) to you!

THIS SESSION WAS SPONSORED BY

This is an image of the Lacuna Legal Logo

Bronwyn and Belinda, two of the #radboss ladies from Lacuna Legal Providers will be with us over the 2 days at the Retreat. Now these ladies are cleaver- they provide ‘back of house support to solo and small law firms aka YOU!!

Lacuna Legal Providers have a special offer for all attendees of the Club Retreat 2019 to sign up for a practice management or BD profile check in at 2 hours for the price of 1! At the end of the session you will get 10 tips on how you can improve your practice. More details will be shared on the flyer at the Retreat.

PLATINUM PARTNER

This is an image of automio logo

Our platinum partner Automio are thrilled to a part of the Club Retreat 2019. If you have been wanting to find out more about Automio’s combination of legal automation software and world-class training to scale your law firm to 7 figures you can book in a demo session with Business Development Manager, Mike Mullins here.

Automio love working with entrepreneurial lawyers just like you to help you scale up your law firm. And the final ‘Automio bedazzle’ we have for you is a special offer for you on Automio’s ‘Scale Up Springboard Training Program.’ 

If you enrol in Scale Up by 5pm AEDT 12 November you will get these fabulous free bonuses:

– A new, high-converting law firm website OR have our fabulous copywriter write high-converting copy for your firm’s website. 

 – A bonus small group VIP Event with Claudia King in Sydney before the 2 day Intensive. 

 – Up to $500 off your travel to the Sydney Intensive paid for

You can learn more about this offer at the Automio booth!

Hannah Trotter

Hannah Trotter

Blogger and Happy Law Student 

Linkedin Instagram

Hi there! I’m Hannah and I am a law student currently in my third year at Queensland University of Technology. I graduated high-school in 2014 completely clueless about who I was, what I wanted and how I intended to get there. To many people’s surprise (including my own) I moved from my family farm on the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane to start my law degree in 2016.

Following my first year I commenced work as the Receptionist at Brisbane Family Law Centre. Having worked with this amazing team for nearly 2 years, I have been given a learning opportunity that goes beyond lectures and tutorials by providing a practical experience of the world of Law. My experience as part of the BFLC team has taught me that a Law career does not have to fit into a traditional box which has ignited a new passion for my studies as well as my future career in the legal profession.

In the meantime, I’ll stick to writing musicals, drinking coffee and playing board games.

I would love to connect with you on Linkedin and Instagram!

The Retreat 2019 Lucy Dickens – Productise & Profit

by

Productise & Profit: How to simplify your business so you can do work you love.

Lucy Dickens

This an image of Lucy Dickens

Author Kiarah Grace Kelly

Lucy Dickens is the queen of all things productising. Lucy sees the world differently to many; in Lucy’s world there’s no legal product that can’t be productised. Lucy Dickens hails from Perth and graces the halls of city firm Birman & Ride by day. It is at Birman & Ride where Lucy has built and built and built. Birman & Ride now points so heavily to its inner productised businesses every day and Lucy has been such a huge part of that.

In opening her presentation, Lucy asked of us- why are we all here today? Lucy posed that there was something bigger bringing us all together, she suggested that was our collective care for meaning. Lucy goes on to explain how to get from productised services right to your meaning.

But, Why?

Productised services will allow us to simplify our businesses, we’ll go from selling time to selling solutions. 

It’s productised services that will allow us to penetrate our potential client’s scarcity mindset in a buyers market. Why? Lucy tells us that the drivers of selection when potential clients are choosing between us all are; the benefits to them, our communication with them, whether they perceive any hassle for them ahead and, in fourth place, price.

What is a Productised Service?

Productised services are packaged, sold and delivered. They are made up of deliverables and outcomes. They are always fixed price and fixed scope. Productised services position you as the expert. 

The magic of the productised service is that it is tangible, Lucy told us how it’s always easier to say yes to something you can see. When you can deliver someone something, you delight them. 

Keys to Success

So what are Lucy’s ‘must-dos’ when it comes to the productised service? Here’s the situation-

  1. Keep your ideal client at the centre of everything while you build, but also while you deliver;
  2. Sell what your client’s want, not what you want to sell;
  3. Remember that the solutions your ideal clients want, are bigger than law;
  4. To get from customer to solution, you need systems;
  5. Once you’ve got it, cross sell with it!

The Journey

Lucy took us through her productisation ladder, where do you fit? 

  • the traditional practice – you sell your expertise according to time, you tell, tell and tell again what your skills are and your client finds it difficult to know what they can do with them;
  • you sell packages – you’ve got the ingredients and you tell your client’s what you can do. But there’s no method;
  • the specialist – you know your knowledge is worth more than your time. You’ve got the packages and you’re value priced;
  • you’re productised – you take your clients from problem to promise. They get the product that they’ve been waiting for and you made it happen;
  • you have a product ecosystem – you’ve got many products, they’re automated. You’re spending the time you’ve saved by automating meaningfully. Plus, you get to choose the parts of the products process you get involved in!

Parting Words

Lucy left us by giving us a challenge- be more like a haiku (simple, elegant, full of meaning). 

If you’re looking for more, Lucy has written an e-book(!) all about this topic and you can get it at lucydickens.com.au. Lucy is happy to take questions at lucy@lucydickens.com.au.

Thank you to our partners for helping us bring The Retreat 2019 (a law conference like no other!) to you!

THIS SESSION WAS SPONSORED BY

This is an image of the Lacuna Legal Logo

Bronwyn and Belinda, two of the #radboss ladies from Lacuna Legal Providers will be with us over the 2 days at the Retreat. Now these ladies are cleaver- they provide ‘back of house support to solo and small law firms aka YOU!!

Lacuna Legal Providers have a special offer for all attendees of the Club Retreat 2019 to sign up for a practice management or BD profile check in at 2 hours for the price of 1! At the end of the session you will get 10 tips on how you can improve your practice. More details will be shared on the flyer at the Retreat.

PLATINUM PARTNER

This is an image of automio logo

Our platinum partner Automio are thrilled to a part of the Club Retreat 2019. If you have been wanting to find out more about Automio’s combination of legal automation software and world-class training to scale your law firm to 7 figures you can book in a demo session with Business Development Manager, Mike Mullins here.

Automio love working with entrepreneurial lawyers just like you to help you scale up your law firm. And the final ‘Automio bedazzle’ we have for you is a special offer for you on Automio’s ‘Scale Up Springboard Training Program.’ 

If you enrol in Scale Up by 5pm AEDT 12 November you will get these fabulous free bonuses:

– A new, high-converting law firm website OR have our fabulous copywriter write high-converting copy for your firm’s website. 

 – A bonus small group VIP Event with Claudia King in Sydney before the 2 day Intensive. 

 – Up to $500 off your travel to the Sydney Intensive paid for

You can learn more about this offer at the Automio booth!

Kiarah Grace Kelly

Kiarah Grace Kelly

Blogger and Happy Lawyer

Linkedin Instagram

Hi! I am Kiarah Grace Kelly, I have just finished a dual Bachelors degree in Law and Government and International Relations at Griffith University on the Gold Coast. I tested my legal toes in the water at a boutique Gold Coast law firm before starting as a Law Graduate at Brisbane Family Law Centre in November 2018. I’ve just been admitted here in Queensland which makes me a Brand New Lawyer or #babylawyer as the BFLC gang likes to say. My sole practice area is Family Law.

I’m looking forward to writing about and sharing with you all that I can at this crazy-exciting but daunting stage of my career. I think there’s a need to talk about our experiences as early career lawyers so that we can all lean on each other as much as we can.

I would love to connect with you on Linkedin and Instagram!

The Retreat 2019 Ann-Marie David – The Power of Connection: It Starts With You!

by

The Power of Connection

Ann Marie David

This is a image of Lawyer Ann-Maree David

Author: Hannah Trotter

In classic Ann-Marie David fashion, she instantly has the crowd on their feet demonstrating their superpowers to one another but, with a twist – no speaking allowed! 

There’s a bit of dancing, a lot of giggling and with that, the after lunch lull has certainly left the room. 

Ann-Marie’s first acknowledgement was about how every presentation, despite our speakers having been given complete free-reign as to topic, has had the common thread of being centered around humanity. 

Ann Marie is famous for her super power of connecting people with opportunity and ideas but she encourages us to realise how this can also become our super power. 

As people, we have thousands of interactions every day and with each one of these, we are given the opportunity to create connection. 

5 Senses and Their Roles in Connecting Us

As humans, connection is innate – it’s within us from the very beginning. Each of our senses are designed to bring about connection. 

  1. Sight – When we make eye contact with one another, our brains physically light up. We engage, we connect and pathways are created within our brains. 
  2. Touch – physically reaching out to touch someone. When we hug, hold, touch – our brains remember the experience and form pathways that can never be erased. The physiological impact of hugging is astonishing – it reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and boosts serotonin levels. The electrical charge we given one another allows these pathways to embed within our brains. 
  3. Hearing – we have a radar for voice. If you register and know a voice, you can be in a crowded and noisy room and still hear it. 
  4. Smell – one of the strongest sources of memory that we have. It can connect us back to a place, a time, a feeling, a person.
  5. Taste – working in unison with smell to connect us to memory. 

Super Charging Your Power

The key to using the power of connection is building empathetic engagement.  It is this empathy that sets us apart from technology. 

Empathetic engagement creates the difference in how we make decisions and it develops trust. 

We are living in a world of disruption. Today, from the moment children are born, they are bombarded with technology. With screens held up to their eyes, they lose the opportunity to develop human connection. 

The philological impacts on the brain of a child when it is neglected, that is lacking connection, are astounding. 

We need to make the conscious effort to utilise our five senses and empathetic engagement to connect with someone at every opportunity. 

 

With that, Ann Marie has every attendee linking arms,  swaying, smiling, reaching out to one another, and she has certainly come through on her own power of connecting each human here today.  

Thank you to our partners for helping us bring The Retreat 2019 (a law conference like no other!) to you!

THIS SESSION WAS SPONSORED BY

This is an image of the Lacuna Legal Logo

Bronwyn and Belinda, two of the #radboss ladies from Lacuna Legal Providers will be with us over the 2 days at the Retreat. Now these ladies are cleaver- they provide ‘back of house support to solo and small law firms aka YOU!!

Lacuna Legal Providers have a special offer for all attendees of the Club Retreat 2019 to sign up for a practice management or BD profile check in at 2 hours for the price of 1! At the end of the session you will get 10 tips on how you can improve your practice. More details will be shared on the flyer at the Retreat.

PLATINUM PARTNER

This is an image of automio logo

Our platinum partner Automio are thrilled to a part of the Club Retreat 2019. If you have been wanting to find out more about Automio’s combination of legal automation software and world-class training to scale your law firm to 7 figures you can book in a demo session with Business Development Manager, Mike Mullins here.

Automio love working with entrepreneurial lawyers just like you to help you scale up your law firm. And the final ‘Automio bedazzle’ we have for you is a special offer for you on Automio’s ‘Scale Up Springboard Training Program.’ 

If you enrol in Scale Up by 5pm AEDT 12 November you will get these fabulous free bonuses:

– A new, high-converting law firm website OR have our fabulous copywriter write high-converting copy for your firm’s website. 

 – A bonus small group VIP Event with Claudia King in Sydney before the 2 day Intensive. 

 – Up to $500 off your travel to the Sydney Intensive paid for

You can learn more about this offer at the Automio booth!

Hannah Trotter

Hannah Trotter

Blogger and Happy Law Student 

Linkedin Instagram

Hi there! I’m Hannah and I am a law student currently in my third year at Queensland University of Technology. I graduated high-school in 2014 completely clueless about who I was, what I wanted and how I intended to get there. To many people’s surprise (including my own) I moved from my family farm on the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane to start my law degree in 2016.

Following my first year I commenced work as the Receptionist at Brisbane Family Law Centre. Having worked with this amazing team for nearly 2 years, I have been given a learning opportunity that goes beyond lectures and tutorials by providing a practical experience of the world of Law. My experience as part of the BFLC team has taught me that a Law career does not have to fit into a traditional box which has ignited a new passion for my studies as well as my future career in the legal profession.

In the meantime, I’ll stick to writing musicals, drinking coffee and playing board games.

I would love to connect with you on Linkedin and Instagram!

The Retreat 2019 Jo Alilovic – Scaling the Old Fashioned Way

by

Scaling the Old Fashioned Way- With People!

Jo Alilovic

This is an image of Jo Alilovic

Author Hannah Trotter

AI, Automation, Technology – it’s everywhere in business, but buying and using tech isn’t always the best way to scale your law firm. 

While tech is great and often essential, it can’t do ‘human’. It can’t empathise with a client, see how they’re feeling, or give suggestions and solutions based on that understanding. 

Every firm needs humans but there’s a lot of nervousness when it comes to employing people. 

Jo is here to bust some myths about hiring employees.

Myth 1 - Use Contractors (it's easier!)

Jo’s first myth is for those who think they’re better off using contractors than hiring employees. 

Jo encouraged us to consider whether contractors really understand our business, our values, and whether they are really invested in the vision of our businesses. 

When you have a team of employees, they are invested in helping your business succeed. 

If you’re convinced that this isn’t the case for your contractors, ask yourself:

  1. Are they really a contractor or are they actually an employee? 
  2. Whose business is their priority? Remember! Contractors need to make their own businesses their priority and yours will likely come second to that. 

Employees can bring huge advantages for your business. Finding the right person can make all the difference to how your business functions. 

Myth 2 - It's Just Too Difficult to Have Employees

We all know people have their own values, beliefs and issues – so why would we want to deal with them as employees? 

One of the most common complaints from business owners is the admin involved in hiring. 

Jo has provided the 5 things we need to do to hire employees (and they really aren’t that difficult!)

  1. Have a job description; 
  2. Have a contract of employment;
  3. Consider the insurance;
  4. Forms! (Tax forms, super forms)
  5. Payroll (add them to your system!

Beyond hiring, the most common complaints from employers is that their employees don’t know what they’re doing or behave unacceptably. To this, Jo says that this problem can be solved by having clear job descriptions, a code of conduct, open communication, and leading by example. 

Myth 3 - I Can Do It Alone!

The reality is, unless we acknowledge that we can’t do it all alone, we are going to end up feeling burned out. 

33% of lawyers are suffering from some type of distress or depression. 

Having a team to carry the load is a huge antidote to this sense of being alone and isolated. You are given the opportunity to not only share in the difficult times but share in the wins. 

When we bring on team members, we surround ourselves with different strengths. Employees bring fresh ideas and insights that we can’t achieve on our own. 

Thank you to our partners for helping us bring The Retreat 2019 (a law conference like no other!) to you!

PLATINUM PARTNER

This is an image of automio logo

Our platinum partner Automio are thrilled to a part of the Club Retreat 2019. If you have been wanting to find out more about Automio’s combination of legal automation software and world-class training to scale your law firm to 7 figures you can book in a demo session with Business Development Manager, Mike Mullins here.

Automio love working with entrepreneurial lawyers just like you to help you scale up your law firm. And the final ‘Automio bedazzle’ we have for you is a special offer for you on Automio’s ‘Scale Up Springboard Training Program.’ 

If you enrol in Scale Up by 5pm AEDT 12 November you will get these fabulous free bonuses:

– A new, high-converting law firm website OR have our fabulous copywriter write high-converting copy for your firm’s website. 

 – A bonus small group VIP Event with Claudia King in Sydney before the 2 day Intensive. 

 – Up to $500 off your travel to the Sydney Intensive paid for

You can learn more about this offer at the Automio booth!

Hannah Trotter

Hannah Trotter

Blogger and Happy Law Student 

Linkedin Instagram

Hi there! I’m Hannah and I am a law student currently in my third year at Queensland University of Technology. I graduated high-school in 2014 completely clueless about who I was, what I wanted and how I intended to get there. To many people’s surprise (including my own) I moved from my family farm on the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane to start my law degree in 2016.

Following my first year I commenced work as the Receptionist at Brisbane Family Law Centre. Having worked with this amazing team for nearly 2 years, I have been given a learning opportunity that goes beyond lectures and tutorials by providing a practical experience of the world of Law. My experience as part of the BFLC team has taught me that a Law career does not have to fit into a traditional box which has ignited a new passion for my studies as well as my future career in the legal profession.

In the meantime, I’ll stick to writing musicals, drinking coffee and playing board games.

I would love to connect with you on Linkedin and Instagram!